This story originally aired on May 6, 2017. Ben Union basically grew up in a church, and for him there was little question as to what he wanted to be when he grew up. He was going to be a preacher. But in religion, just like in politics, or relationships, challenging or even traumatic experiences can make you change your feelings about a path you were once entirely certain about. This was the case for Ben Union. He didn’t become a preacher, but instead, a professional musician in Tacoma. Music

It’s been more than five months since the nation’s first novel coronavirus death happened, right here in the Seattle area. Now, more than 100 vaccine candidates are being developed, and dozens have entered the human-trial stage. But they’re likely still a long way off from mass production and distribution. In this episode of Transmission, host Gabriel Spitzer and producer Jennifer Wing discuss how the RNA vaccine works and why some elements of vaccine development are going so much more quickly

Ever since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, demonstrations have followed in Washington state and around the country. Most of the coverage has focused on big cities. Now, we're going to hear from someone in Chehalis. It and neighboring Centralia are predominately white, but in the weeks following Floyd’s death, the communities saw demonstrations in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

It's summer 2020, and so many things are different. But some things, like running for the ice cream truck, are refreshingly familiar. In this audio postcard from a Seattle neighborhood, listen as two boys grab some ice cream. Henry (Sonic the Hedgehog popsicle) and his best friend Broder (Chocolate Fudge Bar) talk about what feels new this summer, and what remains the same.

A special plot of land has been set aside at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. It is sacred ground that has been blessed by tribal leaders from the community outside. And it’s been devoted to a work program that allows Indigenous inmates to grow medicinal plants needed in traditional ceremonies, such as sweat lodges.

Every week for more than five years, Gabriel Spitzer’s voice brought stories into your homes that you otherwise wouldn’t hear. In more than 200 episodes of Sound Effect , our host helped you get to know the Puget Sound region and its people through stories of wonder, joy, and profound humanity. Now, sadly, it’s time to say goodbye.

Today on the show, we say goodbye to our host Gabriel Spitzer. This is the last show Gabriel will host, as he transitions to a new job in public health. He celebrates some of his favorite stories from past shows in this episode. We’ll meet a punter who thought he was a linebacker for a minute, a cowboy who “met” Bigfoot and a Balkan rock star who staged an antiwar musical in a war zone. Sound Effect contributors share emotional best wishes to wrap up his last show. Johnny Hekker is a punter for

This story originally aired on April 28, 2018. If you close your eyes and picture Sasquatch, there’s a good chance you’ll conjure up a very specific image: a big, hairy humanoid, mid-stride, arms swinging, head turned to glance back over its right shoulder. In that iconic picture, the thing Bigfoot was turning back to look at was Bob Gimlin. Gimlin, along with Roger Patterson, gathered their famous film footage in northern California in 1967. Fifty years later people still pore over it, debating

This story originally aired April 2, 2016. Last December, St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams punter Johnny Hekker , an Edmonds resident who grew up in Bothell , did not make many new friends in the Pacific Northwest. He punted the ball to the Seahawks, and after the play was over, he came up behind Seattle defensive end Cliff Avril and drilled him to the ground . Punters in football are not known for much other than kicking the ball. Most of their coaches would like them to stay as far away from

This story originally aired Oct. 13, 2018. In the early 1990s, Gino Jevdjevic was living the typical life of a Yugoslavian popstar. He signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans. He wore his hair in a ponytail and crooned schmaltzy melodies. These days, Gino has a shaved head, a multitude of tattoos and a long, grey-streaked beard. He lives in Seattle, and his music is closer to metal or “Gypsy Punk” than it is to pop. To understand how he got from one version of Gino to Gino 2.0, you